The invention relates generally to power-driven conveyors and, more particularly, to a switch conveyor using a diagonally disposed roller-belt sorter to perform the function of a switch.
A sorter is a conveyor that directs individual articles fed into the sorter by an infeed conveyor to selected outbound paths branching off from one or both sides of the sorter. A switch is a conveyor in which articles are conveyed to outbound paths receiving the articles off the end of the switch in the same direction as they are conveyed by the infeed conveyor. Switches with one infeed conveyor and multiple outbound paths are typically realized by a rectangular conveyor receiving a single file of articles at the switch's upstream end and moving individual articles laterally to align them with the designated outbound path. To maintain throughput, the articles continuously advance along the switch as they are being directed laterally. Consequently, the upstream portions of the rectangular switch flanking the exit of the infeed conveyor are unused. The unused portions require the purchase of more square feet of conveyor material and take up valuable floor space. Furthermore, when a belt conveyor with a long pitch requiring large-diameter sprockets is used as the switch conveyor, transfer over the ends of the conveyor belt at the location of the large sprockets is difficult.